{"id":23426,"date":"2020-03-26T17:36:44","date_gmt":"2020-03-26T09:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-mission-grounded-due-to-coronavirus-some-workers-in-quarantine\/"},"modified":"2020-03-26T17:36:44","modified_gmt":"2020-03-26T09:36:44","slug":"spacex-mission-grounded-due-to-coronavirus-some-workers-in-quarantine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-mission-grounded-due-to-coronavirus-some-workers-in-quarantine\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX mission grounded due to coronavirus, some workers in quarantine"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"img-border featured-image wp-block-image--obfuscated\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1600\" class=\"skip-lazy wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=320&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=640&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1024&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1500&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" data-attachment-id=\"861\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/spacex-saocom\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"spacex-saocom\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1024\"><br \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX still plans to send NASA astronauts to space as soon as May despite the coronavirus pandemic shutting down large parts of the economy. The milestone crewed test flight, SpaceX Demo-2, will mark the first time astronauts have been sent to space from American soil since the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elon Musk\u2019s space exploration company is still affected by COVID-19, however, including one mission being postponed due to the current travel ban in place.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-853\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mission grounded<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX planned to launch SAOCOM 1B (Sat\u00e9lite Argentino de Observaci\u00f3n Con Microondas 1B) using a Falcon 9 rocket for Argentina\u2019s National Commission on Space Activities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX successfully launched SAOCOM 1A aboard a Falcon 9 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in October 2018.<\/p>\n<p>\t<span class=\"outbrain-ad-label\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<script type=\"text\/plain\">\n\t\t\twindow.adSlotsConfig = window.adSlotsConfig || [];<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tadSlotsConfig.push( {\n\t\t\t\tslotID: '\/1049447\/Outbrain',\n\t\t\t\tslotName: 'div-gpt-ad-outbrain-ad-853',\n\t\t\t\tsizes: [300, 250],\n\t\t\t\tslotPosition: 'mid_article'\n\t\t\t} );\n\t\t<\/script><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube alignwide wp-block-embed is-type-rich wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vr_C6LQ7mHc?version=3&amp;rel=0&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;start=1009&amp;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest Earth-observation mission was set for no earlier than March 30 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Due to the current travel ban in effect as an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the mission for Argentina\u2019s space agency has been postponed. No new launch date target has been announced.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SAOCOM 1B mission was expected to be the fourth launch from the facility in a busy March. SpaceX successfully completed its CRS-20 and latest Starlink missions earlier this month, and ULA has a launch scheduled for March 26 at 1:57 p.m. EDT.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Parachute Problems<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A travel ban isn\u2019t the only concern on SpaceX\u2019s radar. As Marcia Smith reports for <em>SpacePolicyOnline<\/em>, a Crew Dragon parachute test did not go as planned this week. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX provided this statement on the incident:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cDuring a planned parachute drop test today, the test article suspended underneath the helicopter became unstable. Out of an abundance of caution and to keep the helicopter crew safe, the pilot pulled the emergency release. As the helicopter was not yet at target conditions, the test article was not armed, and as such, the parachute system did not initiate the parachute deployment sequence. While the test article was lost, this was not a failure of the parachute system and most importantly no one was injured. NASA and SpaceX are working together to determine the testing plan going forward in advance of Crew Dragon\u2019s second demonstration mission.\u201d \u2014 SpaceX<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX has been busy testing a new parachute design after the previous version proved unreliable. The most recent demonstration for NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program was successfully completed in January, however, when SpaceX successfully completed an uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test using the Crew Dragon spacecraft. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube alignwide wp-block-embed is-type-rich wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mu5Ydz34oVc?version=3&amp;rel=0&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;start=19&amp;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Merlin engine issue<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SpaceX is also investigating an issue that occurred during last week\u2019s Starlink mission. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first Falcon 9 launch attempt for the mission was scrubbed at T-0 due to one of the nine engine\u2019s experiencing \u201cslightly high power,\u201d according to Elon Musk on Twitter. The rocket\u2019s computer system correctly shut down the launch because of the problem. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Falcon 9 successfully launched three days later, although one Merlin engine shutdown prematurely on ascent. The incident did not affect deployment of 60 Starlink satellites, however, likely due to redundancy in the rocket\u2019s nine engine design. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Musk added on Twitter that SpaceX will need to investigate the issue before the next mission, although wear on the reusable rocket lends itself to this class of issue. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SpaceX founder added that \u201clife leader rockets\u201d are not used for non-SpaceX missions. The Starlink mission marked the fifth flight (and highest reflight) for the Falcon 9 first stage.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">COVID-19 at SpaceX<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, there is the issue of how SpaceX is dealing with limiting the spread of coronavirus as a company. Headquarters in Hawthorne, California, hasn\u2019t required telework status, although staff are asked to stay home if they suspect COVID-19 systems.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image wp-block-image--obfuscated\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png\" alt=\"Site default logo image\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lora Kolodny and Christina Farr report for <em>CNBC <\/em>that at least one employee and one medic have tested positive for COVID-19, based on an internal memo.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>SpaceX is asking the employees it sent home to remain in quarantine and monitor their own health for any signs of the novel coronavirus for a period of 14 days.&nbsp;One Medical, which provides on-site health services at the facility, is asking all of its healthcare providers who have symptoms of the coronavirus, including the ones near SpaceX\u2019s headquarters in LA, to stay home and get tested immediately.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One Medical, which has been monitoring the coronavirus situation at SpaceX, advised 12 employees who were in contact with the medic who tested positive to stay home and self-quarantine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SpaceX still plans to send NASA astronauts to space as soon as May despite the coronavirus pandemic shutting down large parts of the economy. The milestone crewed test flight, SpaceX Demo-2, will mark the first time astronauts have been sent to space from American soil since the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011. Elon Musk\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23426"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23426\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}